Arashiyama (嵐山) is a famous tourist district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It is well known for the wooden bridge crossing Ōi River (大堰川, Ōi-gawa) with forested Mount Arashiyama in the background. At the bridge Ōi River changes name, and becomes Katsura River (桂川, Katsura-gawa).

Other key sites of interest in Arashiyama are Tenryuji Temple (Tenryū-ji), a leading Zen Buddhist temple, and the famous bamboo grove nearby.

Bamboo grove in Arashiyama in Kyoto, Japan near the famous Tenryu-ji temple. Tenryuji is a Zen Buddhist temple which means “temple of the heavenly dragon” and is a World Cultural Heritage Site.

The Heian Jingu Shrine (平安神宮, Heian jingū) built in 1895, is a very famous Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan and a popular tourist destination. It was built to celebrate the 1100th anniversary of the establishment of Heian-kyo, which is the old name of Kyoto. Outside the shrine is the huge orange torii gate, the largest in Japan, which spans over the road.

The Heian Jingu hosts the Jidai Matsuri, one of the three most important festivals of Kyoto. The procession of this festival begins at the old Imperial Palace, and involves carrying mikoshi (portable shrines) of Emperors Kammu and Komei to Heian Jingu.

Huge orange torii gate, the largest in Japan spans over the street before the Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto. Built in 1929, it is just over 24 metres high and 34 metres wide at the top.

Kiyomizu Temple (Kiyomizu-dera, 音羽山清水寺) is a UNESCO World Heritage listed Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. The temple’s origin dates back to 798, but the current buildings were constructed in 1633, which makes it one of the oldest temples in Kyoto city.

Tōdai-ji (東大寺, Tōdai-ji), meaning the Eastern Great Temple, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿 Daibutsuden), reputedly the largest wooden building in the world, houses a colossal bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese as the Daibutsu (大仏).

Illuminated evening view of the inner gate and wall surrounding Todaiji Temple with a pond in the foreground in Nara, Japan. Todaiji Temple can be seen in the background behind the wall.